Stop-and-go------ I used to hate it. Sat there fuming at the wasted time. Now I get a kick out of watching the average MPG go up as I stare at the tail lights in front of me. I have a 39 mile commute that takes about an hour with no traffic, and up to 2 hours in rush hour. This morning I was about 40 minutes into a rush hour version, and reached a new high avg MPG of 72.7!! Very cool. The whole trip there and back wound up averaging about 62. But it was great to see that big number.
Yup! Know just how you feel. Used to hate knowing I was wasting fuel while sitting in endless traffic. Now I find I'm much less tensed and frustrated, especially with Herr Mozart or Charlie Parker oozing from the stereo into my quiet confines.
Before I had the Prius, I used to wonder exactly how much Prius drivers enjoyed stop and go & slow and go traffic. After having the Prius, I really like slow and go traffic. Stop and go is way better too, but not as good as slow and go. Slow and go is a complete excuse to Pulse and Glide. Stop and go is harder to do because I usually don't have enough room to pulse using the gasoline powered engine. Still, way better now that with my 5 speed Integra (with no A/C and only one speaker working on my stereo).
Very true. I often pick out routes across the center of town, stoplight-to-stoplight, at 25-45 MPH just to avoid that "quicker route" arcing around the beltway, that means driving 65 or more. The Prius has transformed my driving patterns, and I'm less stressed and feel like I actually HAVE MORE TIME. It's odd, I know.
For me too! I am enjoying much more driving and take many times longer routes with lower speed. It is so nice to drive EV mode with all windows opened and hear how birds are singing. And even nicer is stop to zebra crossing and let people (and girls) to go by when you are almost soundless.
I still hate stop and go, but part of the reason why I got my (2nd gen) Prius was because I used to frequently go to San Francisco and be stuck in stop and go traffic. I hated the idea of a 255 hp V6 burning up all this gas while I stared at taillights. I avoid driving my Z when I know I'll be stopped at lot, in stop in go or city traffic and hate driving non-hybrids now in such traffic due to both waste at idling and waste from friction braking.
Yeah. I have a 30 mile commute most of which is on the Interstate. My wife calls me at work during her lunch break to chat and I used to grump about bad traffic. But the other day I said, "Oh, the traffic was awful. But I'm getting 67 MPG!" Sometimes on my way home I'll get off the Interstate and take the regular roads the rest of the way home. Takes a little longer, but kicks the old mileage up. I haven't done the drive-thru at McDonald's yet, but one of these days...
Well, I can offer a converse viewpoint. First of all... I admit I'm jealous. To an extent ignorance WAS bliss. Before I was aware of Prius and Hybrids and investigated how they work, I never thought much about burning fuel at idle and how much fuel that does waste. Now..fortunately or unfortunately I do. When I'm moving in my Honda Fit? I feel pretty good. Employing some hypermiling techniques (mildly) I can get excellent gas mileage compared to most vehicles around me. Where The Prius and Hybrids kick butt...is at a stop. Everytime I'm at a stop or in stop and go? Now I'm aware. I suppose it's awareness evolution...which is a good thing...but while I really like my Honda Fit, stop and go, is when I'm most keenly aware of the fact that it is NOT a hybrid. As long as I keep moving? It's "Hybridish". Prius Chat has forever poisoned my outlook. Seriously. I used to think of idling as an inevitable regularity of automobile operation...and now...it bothers me. Damn you Prius Chat! When I walked on all fours I didn't have to worry about back pain! Evolution Sucks....
I agree with eveyone here about tolerating stop and go traffic a lot better with the Prius. To sit at a stop light with the engine off, the A/C on (and not feeling any vibration) and the commercial free SAT radio playing and knowing you are not burning gas makes the wait a lot more less stressful !! Even though Honda makes some of the smoothest running ICE's on the planet, when I drive my wife's Accord, I can feel the vibrations from the engine, the A/C compressor, the air pump, etc. It makes me appreciate the Prius even more.
Someday in the not too distance future, it might be illegal to drive gasoline vehicle with engine running at traffic stops...
Too optimistic. Humanity has more in common with Lemmings in a petrol fuel powered Thelma and Louise drive over the cliff than wisdom to look ahead. There won't be many of us left to enjoy the view once most of us have gone over the edge. I'm afraid we use the resource until it's not profitable or at all viable. Illegal to operate a gasoline engine that runs at traffic stops? I think every vehicle on the road and produced would have to have a baseline of engine stop technology in place....and I think we are a long way from that reality. Our history is American Graffiti. It's open roads and Horsepower. Times are changing. Reality is changing but for the foreseeable future...making a run to the Taco Bell border...means lining up with the lemmings....myself included.
Yeh it is interesting as my 2 month olf Prius has changed my commute route here in Plano Texas. They are all about the same distance. The three options I have are 1) 121 tollroad - avg speed 65mph ->52-55mpg 2) Service road beside 121 - 45-55mph -> 58->61mpg 3) Surface major roads with lights etc - 30-45mph -> 65-71mpg Let me see option three takes 10 minutes longer than option 1 and gets 15 mpg better and has no tolls -> easy answer.
Let's see, a 39 mile commute that can take up to 2 hours, NE Ohio. I'd have to guess you work in Cleveland. I used to live in Mentor Headlands, and later in Mentor-on-the-Lake. Cleveland traffic can be bad. Tom
Stow to Cleveland Clinic. I usually hit the first slow and go or stop and go where 8 North joins 271.
so true. In chicago we have rush hour even on Sunday. Drive my Mom around "sight seeing" and was smiling as I was stuck in traffic and keeping the electric motor going. I think I improved mpg significantly during that ride...
There are some great backroads to get to the Clinic from 271/Northfield right to the Clinic. Made especially for Prius.
Stop and go is good as long as the go parts are long enough and that we are going down hill or on flat terrain
